Despite the diminished state of late-night television, and technology that has altered viewing habits, the “Tonight” show remains one of the signature franchises of broadcasting and still carries unusual resonance.
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The biting of the medal has become a tradition at the Olympic games that symbolizes victory. DDB Chicago draws the connection between this iconic symbol and the biting of McNuggets and other McDonald’s products “sometimes used to celebrate life’s smaller victories” for the juggernaut Olympic sponsor.
The spot “takes viewers on a ride through Olympic history [which] cleverly juxtaposes medal-biting images with shots of fans across the world biting into McDonald’s Chicken McNuggets.” The first 45 seconds or so of the 60 second spot are given to a well-produced homage to Olympic history. When athletes start biting their medals, the text “The greatest victories are celebrated with a bite” appears on screen, followed by shots of people digging into their McNuggets. It’s well executed, even if the idea of likening winning a gold medal to biting into a meal made of molded leftover chicken parts is quite the stretch. Credits after the jump. continued…
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The one-year deal was believed to be worth at least $250 million to the N.F.L., which wants Thursday games to someday approach the viewership of Sunday and Monday games.
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The latest from KWP! sees the agency promoting the Adelaide region of Southern Australia, although it sure looks a lot like the agency and director Jeffrey Darling just created a music video of singer Emma Louise performing the INXS song “Never Tear Us Apart.”
The nearly two minute video, “Breathe” is described as “an ad with the energy of a music video, featuring singer Emma Louise and her astronaut alter ego discovering the city and its nearby regions.” But “Breathe” has more than just “the energy of a music video.” With at least as much camera time devoted to Louise singing and people dancing around as to the city and its landmarks, it really feels like a music video. While the spot is certainly visually impressive, not a surprise from the award-winning Darling, it isn’t until the very end, when “South Australia” flashes on the screen, that there’s any indication of what this is supposed to be selling, or that this is an ad at all and not a music video. That’s pretty bold for a 1:45 spot, and it’s certainly something different from the usual world of tourism advertising. “Breathe” marks the third immersive campaign KWP! has created for the South Australian Tourism commission, following successful campaigns for Kangaroo Island and Barossa. Credits after the jump. continued…
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Reason Partners has crafted a new campaign for Credit Canada, entitled “Get Out From Under,” that utilizes underwater imagery to illustrate what it feels like to face critical debt.
With household debt in Canada having reached an all time high last year, the campaign is well timed. “More and more people need help staying afloat financially, and we’re letting them know we can be the lifesavers,” said Credit Canada CEO Laurie Campbell. “We’re getting the message out that our not-for-profit credit counseling, financial counseling, and financial literacy programs promote manageable ways to deal with debt, no matter how stormy the seas.”
The simple and direct 30 second television spot, directed by Steve Gordon, portrays a (fully-clothed) woman floundering under water, accompanied by Credit Canada’s message appearing on screen: “Without making a profit or false promises, we’ve helped over 2 million people since 1966.” As the text “We’ll help you get out from under” appears, a hand reaches down to pull the woman up, representing Credit Canada lifting its clients out of debt. The imagery and message from the television spot are echoed in the transit ads, print ads, and collateral components that make up the rest of the “Get Out From Under” campaign. Stick around for credits after the jump. continued…
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Programming will soon begin at 8 p.m. to meet advertisers’ demands for more airtime on the cable network, which leads in the ratings for some coveted categories.
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With 111.5 million viewers, Fox’s Super Bowl audience was the largest in American television history.
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Though Sunday’s game was a rout and a dud, the Super Bowl is so iconic an event that Fox was able to set viewership records even as the game’s intrigue faded.
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Ten years after Janet Jackson‘s “Nipplegate” fiasco (and 55 years after “The Day Music Died,” which reminds of simpler times when people were better at naming things), the Super Bowl has become one of the least controversial broadcast TV events. This year’s spots were, in two words, pretty dull. This morning, water cooler talk centered around what was perhaps Peyton Manning‘s worst performance in his storied career, with a few words spent on an adorable puppy befriending horses for Budweiser. Even GoDaddy, America’s idiot PG-rated smut peddlers, were commended by critics for this year creating a spot that was more about a harmless joke than it was about visiting their website to see if Danica Patrick really got naked. Booooorriiiinnnnnggg.
Now, imagine a world in which the above apparently “banned” commercial from Carl’s Jr. ran last night. Would that world be much different from the one that we currently reside in? Well, no, not really. But, at least some group of oversensitive moms in some rural town would have protested this commercial. I mean, do their five-year-olds really need to know that the world is a scary place where scantily dressed cowgirls suck on massive sausages for minutes on end without taking a bite? What about when that mayo or butter or whatever drops slowly onto her left breast? One might say it’s suggestive of semen, dripping slowly off of a large penis getting sucked off at a ranch. Yes, one might.
As for the origin of this spot, we’ve reached out to 72andSunny who tell us the spot was definitely not from them. Also, last we heard, Carl’s Jr. doesn’t make a breakfast sandwich with a comically large sausage stuck in its center. So, we assume it’s some prankster doing it on spec somewhere because he or she was bored. But, in the meantime, we’ll just pretend that this actually ran during the Super Bowl, and that we had something…ANYTHING…more to talk about today.
(Updated): We have no a brief statement from CKE Restaurants’ brand’s Carl’s Jr. on the spot:
On behalf of CKE Restaurants, Inc., parent company to Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s restaurants, They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. But, we had nothing to do with this spoof ad.’”
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In a timely follow-up to last week’s humorous “Long Week” spot, W+K NY have released “Jersey,” the latest in their “This Is SportsCenter” campaign.
The 17 second “Jersey” features SportsCenter anchor Stuart Scott and Broncos mascot Miles. Miles, depressed enough after seeing the Broncos steamrolled in the Super Bowl, prepares for what is presumably his end of the bargain following a losing bet with Seahawks mascot Blitz, and Scott feels for him. For the Denver mascot, it’s going to be another long week. “Jersey” is a fun continuation of the mascot rivalry W+K explored with “Long Week,” although we’re guessing Broncos fans won’t be so amused. Stick around for a second look at “Long Week” after the jump. continued…
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Advertisements during the Super Bowl put on a decidedly happy face, using upbeat themes and images to warm the cockles of consumers’ hearts.
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The Super Bowl, shown in 200 countries, including Hungary, is translated in simple terms by international announcers.
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At a time of atomization and endless special-interest hobbit holes, big live television events like the Super Bowl fulfill our need for something, anything, in common.
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The message to aspiring video makers on YouTube is clear, and seductive: Attract an audience, build your brand. But success, let alone stardom and wealth, remains elusive.
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Arnold Worldwide’s new campaign for ADT, “In My Mind’s Eye,” launches today with the debut TV spot “Burglary.”
The new campaign marks something of a departure for ADT, whose advertising strategy has historically stressed”the value of monitored protection in emergency incidents such as theft, fire, or carbon monoxide.” “In My Mind’s Eye” and the debut spot “Burglary” instead focus on the peace of mind ADT provides its customers with their protection from everyday security concerns.
In the 30 second spot, a couple are out to dinner when the woman realizes she may or may not have remembered to lock the back door. This distracts the man, who imagines he sees a troop of burglars at the restaurant making off with their valuables. Prompted by his reverie, he locks the back door using the ADT service offered on his mobile device. “Burglary” effectively demonstrates both a key feature of ADT’s service, and the peace of mind that comes with it — answering the questions, “Why would I want this?” and “What can it do for me?” in a simple, direct way.
The shift in approach came from insights showing “that people experience worry, like a low consistent hum distracting the person when they’re away from their homes,” says David Register, EVP/group creative director, Arnold Worldwide. “”The spot demonstrates how ADT relieves that angst by putting their customer in control and back in the moment.” Expect more ADT ads in a similar vein from Arnold in the future. “Burglary” rolls out today, with “radio, direct, digital, and social media creative appearing online beginning mid-February.” Credits after the jump. continued…
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Budweiser decided to get serious this year with their patriotic “A Hero’s Welcome” commercial from agency Anomaly.
The 60 second spot documents the homecoming of a single soldier, welcomed (with Budweiser as a sponsor) back from Afghanistan by the entire town of Winter Park, Florida. Winter Park’s celebration included “a full ticker tape parade, complete with marching bands, antique military vehicles, the VFW motorcycle club and an appearance by the world-famous Budweiser Clydesdales.” The 24 year-old Lt. Chuck Nadd, who was just happy to be reunited with his girlfriend, Shannon Cantwell, seemed genuinely surprised and touched.
If all that’s not enough to get you emotional, there’s the 5 minute behind-the-scenes documentary which features members of the Winter Park VFW who helped make the homecoming happen. Several of the veterans talk about their own experiences returning home from war, which were decidedly less pleasant than the welcome Nadd received, and how it really means a lot to feel appreciated. They get pretty emotional, as it clearly means a lot to them to help a fellow serviceman receive the homecoming that would have meant so much to them. Stick around for the behind-the-scenes footage after the jump, if you’re not worried about a case of the onions at work. continued…
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Software that will be able to show the breezy patterns at MetLife Stadium is among the technologies Fox will use in covering Super Bowl XLVIII.
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Duelling billboards? Yes, indeed, that's what Starz is going for—in a fun partnership with Captain Morgan—with this outdoor campaign in Los Angeles for its new Michael Bay-produced pirate show Black Sails, which managed to knock the top out of the network's original premiere ratings with 3.5 million viewers this weekend.
The show has had a major presence in the geekosphere for half a year now. "I think it's the longest-lead campaign I've ever worked on," said Alison Hoffman, svp of original programming, marketing communication for Starz. "We were going to go to Comic Con San Diego, of course, and we decided to screen the entire first episode, and we had such overflow that we did it again."
Hoffman adds: "You always want to extend your reach, and Captain Morgan was kind of a first choice for us. There's this survival, hustler, thieving quality for Black Sails, and there's more fun and adventure for the Captain Morgan brand, and that was when we realized that we probably shouldn't be holding hands; we should be at war."
So at war they are, with duelling billboards across Sunset Boulevard, complete with cannons (and cannon holes). The campaign includes other out-of-home extravagances, notably some backlit, glowing bus ads. And while Hoffman said the network took a no-peglegs, no-eyepatches approach to the show proper, it has given in occasionally and celebrated Talk Like a Pirate Day, among other matey-related milestones.
"It's gritty and real," says Hoffman, "but at the same time … it's pirates."
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In a campaign that launches tomorrow KFC Russia and agency Perfect Fools are offering KFC customers the chance to star in their own television commercial.
Perfect Fools created MovieMatic, a machine designed “to direct, shoot, edit and post the footage to YouTube.” KFC customers can use the MoveiMatic to insert themselves into a KFC ad that will be uploaded to YouTube. Once their video is uploaded, “a receipt is printed with the URL and a reminder to watch their creation, share and invite friends to vote.” A “panel of experts” (your guess as to what that means is as good as ours) will then select the best of the bunch to air on Russian television. Technology utilized in the MovieMatic includes: “professional photography lights, two Canon 5D Mark III cameras, computers with bespoke software, storage drives, wifi router and phidgets for the control buttons, plus smaller light emitting gadgets and microphones.”
Piotr Rozanski, marketing director for YUM! Brands Russia said, “KFC is the first brand in Russia to star a customer in a TV campaign. The aim is to captivate, inspire customers, generate lots of brilliant videos showing off their acting and dancing skills, then get them involved in a popularity contest to make them a hero across Russia.”
The MovieMatic will be in Moscow for the next week, and then make a two week tour of St. Petersburg starting on February 19th. Contestants have five days following the creation of their video to generate as many votes as possible. The television commercial featuring the winning contestant will air on March 31st. You can view results here. Credits after the jump. continued…
New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.
The company said fourth-quarter earnings were aided by higher subscriber fees and an increase in cable advertising, and that Paramount Pictures narrowed its loss from a year ago.
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